Dear Fibromyalgia

Category: Fibromyalgia Symptoms

A detailed guide to understanding Fibromyalgia symptoms, early warning signs, and how they are diagnosed.

  • Diagnosing Fibromyalgia: Past to Present

    The term “fibromyalgia” may be relatively new, but the condition itself has been around for quite a while. After several name changes, a definite set of diagnostic parameters are finally established for fibromyalgia.

    History of fibromyalgia

    The first known mention of fibromyalgia was in the 1800s, but at the time it was simply called “muscular rheumatism.”

    When “muscular rheumatism” was first written about, doctors noted that it caused stiffness, aches, pains, tiredness, and difficulty speaking. In 1824, a doctor in Scotland first described the tender points that characterize fibromyalgia.

    A psychiatrist in the United States described a condition called “neurasthenia” in 1880, which he believed was caused by stress. He ascribed the symptoms of widespread pain, fatigue, and psychological problems to neurasthenia.

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    The term “fibrositis” was introduced in 1904 by Sir William Gowers. “Fibro” refers to the body’s connective tissues. “Itis” indicated inflammation or swelling, so “fibritis” meant inflammation of the connective tissues. In 1913, a physician wrote more about fibritis, describing a worsening of symptoms as air pressure fell and rains came on. He also described temperature variations and fevers.

    In the 1970s, Hugh Smythe described fibritis in papers and medical textbooks. This was the clearest, most cohesive description of the disease and its symptoms so far. The name was changed from “fibritis” to “fibromyalgia” in 1976, since inflammation was no longer believed to be the cause. “Myo” means muscles and “algia” means pain, so “fibromyalgia” means pain in the muscles and connective tissues.

    Certain antidepressants were found to be effective in treating fibromyalgia in 1986. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published an article about fibromyalgia in 1987. Also in that year, fibromyalgia was recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) as a defined disease and cause of illness and disability. The American College of Rheumatology first published diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia in 1990.

    Diagnosing fibromyalgia

    Diagnosing fibromyalgia today is still difficult.

    There is no definitive test for fibromyalgia, so it’s typically a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that a person can only be diagnosed with fibromyalgia when every other possibility has been excluded.

    The Mayo Clinic website explains why diagnosing fibromyalgia is so difficult, stating:

    “Fibromyalgia symptoms include widespread body pain, fatigue, poor sleep and mood problems. But all of these symptoms are common to many other conditions. And because fibromyalgia symptoms can occur alone or along with other conditions, it can take time to tease out which symptom is caused by what problem. To make things even more confusing, fibromyalgia symptoms can come and go over time.”

    Tender points are still used by many specialists during diagnoses. There are 18 potential tender points on the body, and the physician must be able to elicit a response on at least 11 of these tender points. However, knowing precisely where the tender points are and how much pressure to apply can be tricky, so general doctors use a different set of diagnostic criteria.

    The criteria used by general doctors includes:

    • Widespread pain that’s lasted for at least three months
    • Presence of other symptoms, such as fatigue, waking up tired, or trouble thinking (often called “fibro fog”)
    • No other conditions that could be causing the symptoms

    Additionally, some physicians may score patients’ responses to a series of questions to judge the severity of the widespread pain being experienced. For instance, several symptoms are given a score as far as symptom severity. Zero means no problems at all, while three means severe, pervasive, or life-disturbing. Then the scores for all the symptoms are added together. If this score is above a certain level, it’s considered positive for fibromyalgia. This positive result, in addition to other positive results and the absence of any other conditions that could explain the symptoms, will usually lead to a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

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    Fibromyalgia might also be accompanied by symptoms such as:

    Causes of fibromyalgia

    It’s still unclear what causes fibromyalgia.

    Gender, health condition, genetics, and trauma are all thought to play a role in fibromyalgia. However, it’s not known if all or any of these are the actual cause of the condition. It’s only known that these factors play a part in determining an individual’s risk for developing fibromyalgia.

    External triggers, such as viral infection or repetitive strain, and some preexisting conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, may make people more likely to develop fibromyalgia. Depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome, or other mental illnesses are often found in people who have fibromyalgia. Additionally, being overweight, being inactive, or smoking might increase the risk for fibromyalgia. Women are also much more likely to develop fibromyalgia, although men and children can develop the condition, too.

    Studies have been conducted looking at the role of stress in triggering fibromyalgia. Employees in a stressful job environment tended to experience more pain. Also, women who’ve experienced relationships with violent abuse are at an increased risk for fibromyalgia. People who feel as though they have very little support or who had a poor psychological response to pain also seem to be an increased risk for fibromyalgia.

    Even though the cause behind fibromyalgia is still unknown, and diagnosing it remains a challenge, it’s thanks to the collective history of fibromyalgia that we have any understanding of it today. The symptoms and tender points described in the 1820s, the psychological (cognitive) problems acknowledged in the 1880s, and the issues with temperature regulation noted in the early 1900s all helped define the condition as it’s understood today.

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Fibromyalgia and sciatica

    Every once in a while we get a client that comes through the door with both Fibromyalgia and sciatica. Unfortunately, for many people with Fibromyalgia, most new symptoms get put down to simply yet another Fibro symptom. However, if you do have Sciatica, then you will likely already know, that sciatica pain feels very different to normal everyday Fibromyalgia pain.

    So, with that being said, I am going to say the same thing to you at home reading this, as we do to our clients in the studio: Do not put symptoms down to Fibromyalgia.

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    Sciatica is the loose term for one type of lumbar radiculopathy, essentially meaning pain and other symptoms, caused by irritation of a lumbar nerve root or at least a part of it. It’s also good to keep in mind that sciatica is a symptom, rather than a specific diagnosis, and not a particularly specific one either. The term sciatica can be rather confusing, with many medical professionals using it to describe radiculopathy involving the lower extremities and relating to herniated disks. And many patients refer to sciatica as any pain that shoots down the legs.

    Now, for anyone with Fibromyalgia, adding sciatica into the mix can make an already painful day, into a seemingly impossible task! However, the good news though, is that most cases of sciatica will resolve on their own within 6 weeks, without the need for any special intervention or treatment.

    Most people will never have this problem again, and the rest perhaps a few more times in their lives.

    There are myriads of ways for the lumbar roots and sciatic nerve to get irritated, including, but not limited to: a nerve pinch, disk herniations, and genetic abnormalities. However, what’s important to remember, is that generally, nerve impingement doesn’t cause pain, inflammation does. In fact, the majority of the time, Sciatica is referred pain from the lower back and doesn’t even result from nerve-root compression. How one person reacts to load, movement, or even stretch, can be very different across the spectrum of people, and it’s likely that some people have nerve roots that are just a little quicker to react. Those with Fibromyalgia suffer from abnormalities in the way that the brain deals with pain. Supraspinal processes have a top-down enhancing effect on nociceptive processing in the brain and spinal cord. Studies have begun to suggest that such influences occur in conditions such as fibromyalgia. This means that those who do have Fibromyalgia and sciatica, they may be far more sensitive to noxious stimuli compared to the general population. Factoring in changes in tissues, stress, load, and movement, and those with Fibromyalgia may be more prone to reacting to these changes byways of producing pain.

    Very rarely is sciatica mechanical in nature. Even issues like nerve impingement are fairly difficult to occur, due to the abundance of room at the nerve root. There are also many cases of actual impingement, where the individual doesn’t even have any pain.

    Whilst you very well could have Sciatica, there are a few other things that can often mimic sciatica, things such as;

    • Piriformis syndrome
    • Genic abnormalities, wherein the sciatic nerve actually runs through the piriformis muscle, instead of under it.
    • Joint problems in the spine
    • Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
    • Cauda Equina syndrome
    • And less likely, things like cluneal nerve entrapment.

    I’m not writing to scare you, as the wide majority of cases of sciatica are completely harmless. However, it is important for you to understand that self-diagnosing sciatica is not a good idea. If it is troublesome, comes with a wide range of completely new symptoms, or you are worried, consult your doctor and get checked out.

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    Generally, red flags when it comes to sciatica are;

    What to do?

    Keep relatively active

    Bed rest has been a popular treatment for sciatica for the better part of the last few decades. In terms of published evidence, most meta-analyses and reviews show that there are no significant benefits to bed rest over staying active when it comes to sciatica pain (and vice versa). However, as mentioned in a review posted in Spine, there is no considerable difference between advice to stay active and advice for bed rest, and there are potentially harmful effects of prolonged bed rest, it is reasonable to advise people with acute low back pain and sciatica to stay active.

    So,  if you do have fibromyalgia and sciatica, you have been checked out and there are no red flags, keeping active can be very helpful. However, being active doesn’t mean you need to be doing crazy exercises, it just means getting up and moving around, as much as the pain will allow.

    In terms of movements, gentle dynamic movement that helps to move a joint through its full range can be incredibly beneficial when it comes to sciatica, helping us to utilise our own internal pain killers. Likewise, stretching can be incredibly beneficial, helping to calm the nervous system down, reduce muscle tone and guarding, reduce pain, and to help create a sense of safety.  This sense of safety is a particularly interesting topic, as fear will cause you to guard, making you stiffer and most likely in more pain.

    Heat and Vibration

    Heat can also be used on the surrounding muscles to help them relax. Due to the thickness of the tissue in the buttocks, heat isn’t going to have much of a circulatory effect on the nerves or muscles that can irritate sciatica. However, it will provide enough input to help calm down the nervous system. A good heat pad or warm bath is sufficient.

    Likewise, vibration can be used for sciatica with a fairly good outcome. Vibration therapy may help to reduce muscle soreness and interleukin-6, helping to stimulate lymphocyte and neutrophil responses, a useful modality in treating muscle inflammation. Which if we learned anything today, is most likely more important than impingement.

    https://fibromyalgia-6.creator-spring.com/
    https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

    Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Fibromyalgia and Costochondritis Based on Researches

    Fibromyalgia and Costochondritis Based on Researches

    Fibromyalgia and Costochondritis are two conditions that often go hand in hand with each other. Over the years we have lost count of the number of clients who were plagued with the hallmark sharp stabbing pains, that often come with Costochondritis. Within this topic are many questions, most of which become a whole lot harder to answer when we factor In Fibromyalgia.

    There are many people in the general population who have Costochondritis, it’s not just another issue that comes along with Fibromyalgia. However, as we will come to find when we take a look at some of the research, Costochondritis does seem to be far more prevalent in those with Fibromyalgia.

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    What is Costochondritis?

    Costochondritis is the term given to inflammation of the cartilage that joins your ribs to your breastbone, also known as the costochondral joint. Inflammation is a natural response to illness or injury, it’s essentially the immune system’s response to help initiate the healing process, in other words, it is a defence mechanism that is vital to our survival. 

    Whilst Inflammation is one of the body’s greatest tools, it doesn’t feel all that great when it does happen. After all, the point of inflammation is healing, and this means that more blood is redirected to the area, tissues become more permeable to allow increased blood flow and nutrients to the areas, and the nerves in the surrounding areas become a whole lot more sensitive. If you have ever had a paper cut you will know exactly what I mean. For such a small cut, it sure does impact your day to day activities.

    With Costochondritis, the costochondral cartilage, which connects your ribs to your breastbone, and surrounding tissue can become inflamed, making it tender and unpleasant when pressure is applied, and in most cases, simply from breathing or even moving.

    Symptoms of Costochondritis

    The obvious leading symptom is chest pain, typically it is described as a sharp or stabbing pain, and sometimes it is described as more of a dull ache which often becomes worse when moving or exerting the chest muscles. This can also include breathing, which can cause an increase in pain with large breaths. Many people find that even the slightest touch or pressure around the sternum and ribs can fire off a pain response, as the nerve becomes more and more sensitive due to the inflammatory response.

    The most commonly reported pain from Costochondritis can be found in the sternum, around the 4th-6th ribs. However, as the inflammation increases, it’s not uncommon for the pain to begin to spread.

    Does Costochondritis cause fatigue?

    A question we hear a lot of is “Does Costochondritis cause fatigue?”

    Again, this question takes a little research and some critical thinking to answer. There are some good studies that show us that there is a pretty strong connection between fatigue and Rheumatic conditions in general.  In one study of patients with different rheumatic conditions, there was found a  54% prevalence of fatigue for those with a single inflammatory rheumatic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or ankylosing spondylitis. However, this prevalence shot up to 82% for those with Fibromyalgia. In essence, from this and multiple other studies, one out of every two patients with a rheumatic disease seems to be severely fatigued.

    On one side of the coin, there are many folk in the general population who do have Costochondritis but report minimal fatigue. And on the other side of the coin, we have those with fibromyalgia and Costochondritis, who report major fatigue associated with it. It’s unlikely that costochondritis directly causes fatigue, as both those with fibromyalgia and without it would be affected. However, that does not mean that it does not indirectly cause fatigue.

    If you ask anyone with chronic pain about sleep, they will tell you that it’s incredibly difficult to get a good nights sleep when you are in pain. And one of the hallmark symptoms of sleep disturbances and deprivations is fatigue. Therefore, it’s not such a huge leap to assume that someone with Costochondritis, or Fibromyalgia and Costochondritis, would experience fatigue as an indirect result of being unable to sleep properly due to being in pain.

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    Likewise, many people with Fibromyalgia, often learn and develop certain coping skills for sleeping when it comes to dealing with the pain of Fibromyalgia. It’s very likely that due to differences in the pain experience, Costochondritis may cause undue stress and anxiety which could disrupt sleep also. Pain from Costochondritis is very hallmarked, it’s sharp, disruptive, and can often make people wonder if there is something wrong with their heart. Therefore, many people with Fibromyalgia and Costochondritis may struggle to sleep due to the new pain that comes from Costochondritis.

    Is there a connection between Fibromyalgia and Costochondritis 

    When living with Fibromyalgia, it is often hard to distinguish what pain comes from which issue. Many people have gone to their doctors with legitimate concerns, only for those concerns to be passed off as just another Fibro symptom.

    One example of this is from a consultation we had here at chronicillness.co, some years back. A young woman had been suffering from severe headaches and every time she went back to the doctors it was promptly put down as caused by Fibromyalgia. However, at her consultation with us, and after going through her history, it was blatant that this young woman had Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. What also stood out was that her headaches were immediately cut in severity when she lay down. Suspecting a Cerebrospinal fluid leak we quickly referred her to her local hospital. And low and behold, it was indeed a spinal fluid leak. After a blood patch, and bed rest to closely monitor for leak recurrence, she recovered after around 6 weeks and has never had another headache since.

    We have many stories from over the years just like this one, but the point to take is that you should never put new symptoms down to Fibromyalgia.

    While working with our clients in the studio, it’s really not uncommon for us to get the “Is my Costochondritis and Fibromyalgia related?” question. And this is a good question, anecdotally you probably know a whole host of individuals with Fibromyalgia and Costochondritis, but are they related.

    When looking at the evidence on this topic, it becomes more clear that they are likely linked, as the prevalence of patients with Fibromyalgia who also have non-cardiac chest pain is far higher than in the general population. In a study conducted in 2016 that looked at symptoms of people with Fibromyalgia, across 4 groups it was found that on average, 29.1% of the 313 participants either currently or previously had Costochondritis. And when compared to the general population, it was found that chest pain in primary care it only accounted for 13%. 

    In an overview of symptoms of patients hospitalised in the US between 1999-2007, there were over 1.7 million people during this time with Fibromyalgia, of those patients, 10% presented with non-specific chest pain (around 170,000 people). While this is closer to the general population we have to remember that these were only the ones who felt the pain was bad enough to go to the hospital, and its worth remembering that when living with Fibromyalgia, it tends to take a much higher level of pain before seeking medical intervention due to living in pain being accepted as normal. 

    There may well be a few reasons why are more commonly found together:

    1. Sleep
      If the last few decades of research into sleep and pain have taught us anything, it’s that with lack of sleep comes a prevalence for more pain. Sleep disruptions lead to hyperalgesia pain changes, which means that your brain becomes far more responsive to noxious stimuli, lowering the pain threshold, and even going as far as to impact our own bodies’ ability to realise pain-killing chemicals. For those with Fibromyalgia, sleep is most often a major issue. Therefore, an activity that would not normally be deemed as strenuous, may become strenuous for someone with Fibromyalgia, and could potential lead to the development of Costochondritis, due to inflammatory responses from strenuous activity or movement.
    2. Guarding response
      For those in pain, it’s really not uncommon to find them adopting postures to make the pain more bearable. Whilst this may help in the short term, over time staying in any one position can become painful. In the instance of Costochondritis, it’s not a far reach to assume that putting prolonged strain on the costochondral joints and cartilage, could potentially cause an inflammatory response causing Costochondritis for those with Fibromyalgia.
    3. Lack of activity
      The decrease in activity levels amongst those with Fibromyalgia, as well as being in pain, can lead to sensitisation which lowers tissue tolerance to stress before an inflammatory response is deemed necessary. For tissue to be healthy, we need to move, and for those with Fibromyalgia, this can often be an issue. This gives us another potential reason for a link between Fibromylagia and Costochondritis.
    4. Hypermobility
      It has been shown in a number of studies that there is a link between hypermobility and Fibromyalgia. One study showed that 46.6% of the Fibromyalgia patients participating, scored at least 4 or more on the Beighton scoring system (A method used to determine hypermobility), compared to 28.8% of the control group. When we look deeper at the connection between Fibromyalgia and Hypermobility, the issues surrounding chest pain and Fibromyalgia can be further explained.The high prevalence of misdiagnosis in the hypermobile population, most likely contributes to the increase of those with Fibromyalgia experiencing inflammation of the chest. A common symptom surrounding hypermobility, is that of joint subluxation/dislocation, due to the genetic make-up of collagen. And a common issue associated with this is rib subluxation. We wrote an article around hypermobility rib subluxation earlier this year, which you can find here. Hypermobility may account for the prevalence of Costochondritis in the Fibromyalgia population, as slipping rib syndrome is pain from inflammation of the cartilage that.

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    Fibromyalgia Chest Pain

    Chest pain can be terrifying when it happens, it can even be severe enough to mimic the symptoms of a heart attack. I remember when I had my first experience of this, I actually thought I was dying and it wasn’t until I was in the hospital, that I found out that I was fine. But, none the less it was a pretty scary experience, as I couldn’t breathe properly because of the pain, and it felt like a tight band around my chest.

    The good news though, is that Costochondritis is it is not cardiac related, so it isn’t related to the heart. When there is inflammation in the chest this often leads to shortness of breath, due to us trying to breathe in a more limited fashion to reduce the pressure on the chest. This change in our respiration will often lead to us not taking in as much oxygen as we normally would, and can leave us feeling like we can’t breathe and panicked. But, again, Costochondritis is it is not cardiac related.

    Can Fibromyalgia make Costochondritis worse? 

    Living with Fibromyalgia is bad enough, but when adding Costochondritis to the mix it can seem a whole lot worse. But can Fibromyalgia make Costochondritis worse?

    Fibromyalgia often leads to central and peripheral sensitization where nerves are a lot more sensitive to noxious stimuli, so it will take less pressure on the chest before these nerves fire and alert the brain of a potentially dangerous stimulus. This would make it feel a lot more tender to the touch than it should normally be. Think of a turn dial that usually likes to sit at 1-3 unless something is wrong (like inflammation) and is then turned up when there is an issue. With Fibromyalgia though, the dial is already sitting at 7, so when a potential threat is noticed this can turn it up to 10. This can result in more painful sensations than are usually warranted. So, given what we know about the current pain mechanisms, having fibromyalgia is likely to make having Costochondritis worse than it would be for someone without fibro.

    Treating Costochondritis or Fibromyalgia chest pain 

    Your first port of call when it comes to Fibromyalgia and Costochondritis should be your doctor. Anti-inflammatories will help to deal with a lot of the pain from Costochondritis, but this isn’t a long term solution. As we previously mentioned, having a healthy and happy rib cage means that it needs to be able to move freely, so this should be your second port of call: focusing on relearning to move your ribs.

    We would also suggest that you check to make sure that you are indeed not Hypermobile and that the pain doesn’t arise from a rib subluxation.

    https://fibromyalgia-6.creator-spring.com/
    https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

    Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Fibromyalgia Headaches Based on Researches

    Headaches are one of the hallmark symptoms of living with Fibromyalgia. Headaches can be debilitating and make everyday life seem almost impossible. But what is a Fibromyalgia headache and is the mystery surrounding them accurate?

    In this blog we’ll take a look at the following: 

    • What is a Fibro headache (and what it is not) 
    • Why Fibro headaches occur
    • Fibromyalgia headaches from medication
    • How to get rid of a Fibro headache
    • Life after headaches: Recovery stories

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    It’s no secret that many of our new Fibromyalgia clients, both online and in studio, suffer headaches that disrupt their daily life. By the end of a programmed their headaches are either completely gone or reduced so much they’re almost unnoticeable. There is one key part of a programmed that all of our Fibromyalgia clients must go through; Understanding what Fibro is, but more importantly, what Fibro is not! 

    Take a look at the Fibromyalgia recovery stories we regularly post to our page and many will say the same thing: the programme is hard! But not in the way you might think. Let’s take an inside look at how our clients get rid of their headaches and how they get their Fibromyalgia success stories. 

    What is a Fibro Headache (And What it is Not) 

    One important thing to realize when it comes to Fibromyalgia headaches is that Fibromyalgia does not cause headaches, for one simple reason: Fibromyalgia is not a clear cut pathology.

    Fibromyalgia is a culturally adopted label that we use to describe a common set of symptoms that appear together. Hence the name Fibromyalgia “Syndrome”. A syndrome being a group of symptoms. In my opinion, as a Fibromyalgia specialist, the hardest part of any recovery is objectively looking at our own understanding of Fibro and our circumstances. It is incredibly difficult to change our understanding when there is so much information available that states the contrary. This bad info usually comes from Doctors, Physiotherapists and other reputable healthcare professionals. Throw Google in the mix and the outlook on Fibromyalgia can be a gloomy one. 

    It is incredibly easy to believe information that is freely available but is not actually correct. For example, have you heard of the following? 

    • Goldfish have a 3-5 second memory? (Not true!)
    • Bulls are angered by the colour Red (Bulls don’t have the colour receptors to see Red)
    • The evil queen from Snow White…what does she say to the mirror on the wall? (Go ahead Google it, it ain’t “mirror mirror on the wall”) 

    Keep in mind that until very recently (1967) women were not allowed to enter Marathons as it was thought their wombs would fall out! It is no different with Fibromyalgia. There is an abundance of really bad info which simply is not correct. The first step of a programme involves breaking down the Fibro label. When you understand what Fibro is, the whole process becomes so much easier. So let’s take a look and prepare for some against the grain advice and support…

    Fibromyalgia is a culturally adopted label for a set of symptoms with no known cause. It is usually diagnosed via a process of elimination. Once all of the “red flag” nasties have been ruled out, a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia is given and we’re put in a box and forgotten about. Been there, done it, got the T-shirt! We are then left to fumble in the dark without any understanding of what’s happening or hope of getting better. 

    Sound familiar?

    Many of our previous and current clients experience the same thing. So bearing in mind Fibromyalgia has no pathological cause (no blood markers, no imaging findings, no sample findings, no diet findings.) Can there be headaches caused by Fibro?

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    Can There Be Such a Thing as a Fibromyalgia Headache?

    The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) do not recognise Fibro as a cause of headaches.

    And this is where most people struggle. The headaches and pain are very real. I’ve personally had pain dismissed as “all in your head” with the age-old advice of “try some meditation or Yoga.” If it was that easy none of us would need help. If we can change our understanding of Fibromyalgia from a disease to a syndrome we stand a much better chance of recovery. 

    So what is a syndrome? Well, it’s a common set of symptoms that group together with no known cause. Some common Fibromyalgia symptoms are: 

    If you can change your outlook on Fibro, then recovery is possible. If not, people enter a never ending cycle of trying all kinds of different treatments then accepting life as it is. At this point, things only get worse. Please don’t be one of those people!

    A few paragraphs back I mentioned NICE & ICHD do not recognise Fibromyalgia as a cause of headaches. Having worked with the Fibromyalgia community for several years now, I’ve noticed there are several types of headaches that are prevalent and also recognised by the ICHD. These are: 

    A very common scenario we see in studio or online is people suffering from one of the above headaches which have been passed off as a “Fibro headache.” This can pose a lot of problems, the main one being you will not receive the proper care for your headaches if they are simply passed off as being caused by Fibromyalgia.

    So Why Are We So Prone to Headaches When We Have Fibromyalgia? 

    It comes as no surprise that if you are in pain, stressed out, and unable to partake in the life you want to live, headaches are most likely going to occur. Let’s look at the cold hard facts of the common headaches we see frequently.

    Tension-Type Headaches and Fibromyalgia

    If you are reading this then you likely know what comes with a tension-type headache (TTH):

    • Dull, aching head pain
    • The sensation of tightness or pressure across the forehead or on the sides and back of the head
    • Tenderness in the scalp, neck and shoulder muscles

    A Tension-type headache is a diagnosis of exclusion, a catch-all term used to describe a headache that isn’t a migraine. It is a pretty vague term.

    Whilst the etiology of TTH is thought to be multifactorial, involving genetic and environmental factors, the most common theory supports a heightened sensitivity to pain in people who have tension-type headaches. Increased muscle tenderness, a common symptom of tension-type headaches, may result from a sensitised pain system. Hmmm…. sounds a lot like the people diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, doesn’t it? When diagnosed with Fibro, moving can be an absolute nightmare. The threat of a flare-up can all but make us a hermit. This lack of movement and a sensitised system may be a large contributing factor in causing tension-type headaches. We know that stress and anxiety naturally cause us to tighten up which throws further fuel on the fire.

     Fibromyalgia Headaches and Medication

    Fibromyalgia headaches can also come with a cocktail of meds. GABA drugs, amitriptyline drugs and opioids like Tramadol amongst others like Codeine/Morphine. Starting a course of these drugs can cause horrific headaches and cognitive impairment (brain fog). Do you feel like a zombie after taking Tramadol or Pregabalin? I certainly did and I was still in pain! Getting off meds is just as bad.

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     Probably the most guilty of this are the GABA drugs; Pregabalin and Gabapentin. A little known fact about these drugs which shocks a lot of our clients (it may shock you too!) is they are primarily used an anti-epileptic drug. In other words, they dampen activity in the brain. Check out the NHS & BNF descriptions of Pregabalin and see for yourself its uses and side effects (Spoiler; It’s headaches amongst other nasty stuff) No wonder we feel like a zombie!

    The secondary use is for nerve pain. So if you’re an epileptic with nerve pain, this is the drug for you. If you suffer from chronic pain, this drug is may contribute to the problems of brain fog and headaches. When our clients lay their Foundations and start to see results, we then start to have them dose down their meds with their doctor when they realise it’s doing them no favours. 

    Migraines and Fibromyalgia

    Migraines are another common finding with Fibro. Some people have true migraines, others have a lacklustre diagnosis after seeing a GP several times with previous headaches. You may then be prescribed a drug like Amitriptyline or Sumotriptan and left to it. If these drugs help your headaches, then it is likely that you are suffering from a true migraine. However, if they don’t, they may be contributing further to your headaches. These drugs are also guilty of causing incredible jaw stiffness, which can further add to the tension-type headache described earlier. Diagnosing migraines is a difficult business.

    Any good Doctor will give you a headache diary and compare it to the diagnostic criteria to come to the conclusion of a migraine. If you were given a migraine diagnosis after presenting with a headache, I’d consider reconsidering! It may be a simple fix and save you years of angst. 

    Dehydration Headache

    Another guilty party when deciphering the headache puzzle is the dehydration headache. It seems so simple and is often the first call to action when addressing headaches….How much water do you drink? Not orange juice, tea, coffee or pop, but clear tap or bottled water? For many, the answer will be incredibly low. Sometimes our brain needs to bathe in the liquid gold which is water. Ever had a hangover and a stinking headache? It takes time for it to go away and plenty of fluids. 

    Our NHS suggests we drink 6-8 glasses per day. That’s often a big ask for even the most active person. But I would trade off not having a headache for needing to pee any day of the week. 

    Conclusion

    When we look at the paragraphs above one thing is clear: Fibromyalgia does not cause headaches: because it’s a word and a label.

    People experience headaches for a variety of reasons. The reason headaches are so prevalent in those with Fibromyalgia is likely from the various biological, psychological and social stresses that come with being in pain. From a career of helping people with Fibromyalgia, I can tell you that headaches do not go until all of these stressors are either eliminated or mediated.

    It can be hard to follow the advice that is against the grain. Our clients are always tedious when it comes to headaches as they can be one of the worst experiences of chronic pain. It’s not easy to read and accept that Fibro is a culturally adopted label. You may have spent years being told it is an incurable disease and this is life now. 

    If you trust me on anything it should be this; Fibromyalgia doesn’t need to be your life. We post recovery stories on a regular basis of people just like you. People with debilitating pain, headaches and mobility problems. The only difference between you and them is the context in which chronic pain is viewed. For those that realise recovery is possible, it’s just around the corner. 

    We’re on a personal mission to lift the veil on Fibromyalgia and Fibromyalgia treatment. What we do has been shrouded in mystery for years but now we’re finally being recognised as the cultural authority on Fibromyalgia treatment and we want to help as many people as possible. 

    We’ve all been there and taking the plunge is scary. But it’s worth it.

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Fibromyalgia pain: Issues with tissues?

    It’s not uncommon for those with Fibromyalgia pain to feel defeated following a doctors visit, as over the years pain has been somewhat of a blind spot for doctors, with most having a difficult time treating even the most common types of pain. In one study looking into this very topic, it was found that 82% of graduates lacked basic competency in this area, if you also factor Fibromyalgia pain into this equation, then it’s likely to get even more complicated.

    Let me start by saying that pain is a very real experience, it destroys lives and it certainly doesn’t discriminate who it chooses. However, much like what I just wrote, we tend to anthropomorphize pain. We assign negative human qualities to it, as at times it feels like it’s malicious in its very nature. I know that at the moment it may feel like it’s you versus your fibromyalgia pain, battling every day with this omnipotent foe, but the pain isn’t malicious. Pain is your brain trying to keep you safe, it doesn’t mean your body is damaged or that you are ready for a knackers yard, as some of my favorite clients have put it.

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    In the studio, we often find that one of the most prevalent fears around Fibromyalgia pain is that most believe it means they are damaged. However, if the last few years of research into pain has taught us anything, it’s that this statement is simply not true. In fact, most people with Fibromyalgia can attest to this, as after countless imagining and other tests, there is nothing seemingly wrong with their nerves, bones, or muscle.

    It is understandable as to why people can feel like pain does mean damage though, after all, pain is one of our most primal protective responses, and if it didn’t instil fear and force us to worry then it wouldn’t be of much use.

    Those with Fibromyalgia are subjected to multitudes of tests, including, blood tests, imaging, and nerve conduction test. However, as is often the case, those individuals are given a clean bill of health once those test results come back normal, despite still being in pain. As I mentioned before, after a plethora of tests to find the reason for your pain come back normal. it can easily leave people a little deflated. I can personally testify to this.

    After being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, having tests conducted, and being told nothing is wrong, it leaves people wondering just what the hell is actually going on.

    A history of pain

    Pain is defined as: An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.

    The definition of pain has remained untouched for many years, but was finally updated in 2020 to add in “resembling that associated with”. Even after all these years we still seemingly struggle to define pain, and rightly so. Pain is ridiculously complex, and we will never truly understand it in its entirety, at least not until we can fully explain consciousness. And even then, we are most likely still going to struggle.

    The science of pain has come a long way since we first started to try to understand pain. So, before we get into this, let’s take a little history lesson on pain and see where we have come from, and where we are going.

    Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) pushed that pain was caused by evil spirits entering the body during injury, and because he was considered a fairly smart guy during his lifetime, his theories seemingly stuck around, for a very long time.

    Rene Descartes (1596 – 1650) introduced and eventually solidified the Cartesian Model of Pain (CMP) into history and ultimately medical science. The CMP explained pain as being created in the tissues that would send pain signals to the brain. Even in 2022, a plethora of medical treatments are still being used based on the CMP where people receive nerve blocks, have nerves burnt or are given cortisone injections in an attempt to relieve their pain. However, we now know this model, like many before, has pieces missing, yet is still largely practiced. Keep in mind also, that this theory was created back in a time we were burning people at the stake because we thought they were witches, so there’s always that.

    The Gate Control Theory (GCT) by Melzack and Wall was the next kid on the block. This theory explained how the spinal cord acted as a gatekeeper, choosing what dangerous and non-dangerous messages were sent to the brain. Even after some of the greatest minds had come together to help explain pain, the GCT could still not explain how people could be in pain without any messages being sent to the brain. Think of when amputees still feel pain in the limbs that they no longer have(which we are going to look at a little bit later), or in our case much closer to home, when we feel pain despite the lack of tissue damage. If the GCT is to be believed, the pain we feel in these cases is not possible and we all know that’s not true.

    We then had the Neuromatrix Model of Pain, followed and updated by the Cortical Body Matrix, which was heavily supported by evidence and built upon the principles of the formation of neurotags. But, alas, even in these later theories of pain, pieces were still missing.

    Most recently, we have moved towards the Biopsychosocial (BPS) model of pain. This was first put forth by Dr George Engel in the 1970s. The Biopsychosocial model of pain considers all the biological, psychological and social factors which can influence pain. The Biopsychosocial model explains how pain is created and modulated by the brain, how pain can be influenced by tissue damage or created in the absence of tissue damage. It describes how pain is a multifactorial, personal experience. It is ultimately the BPS model of pain that helped me understand my own personal pain experience and help me ground my method in solid, evidence-based science.

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    Given the current body of research we have on pain to date, the BPS model of pain is the only model that can stand up to criticism.

    Fibromyalgia pain does not mean damage

    Despite having imagining showing no damage to tissue, bone, or nerves, it can still be hard for individuals to truly believe they are not damaged. After all, it’s hard not to when your muscles and bones ache to such an extent it limits what you can do every day. So, to help hammer home this point of pain not meaning damage, I managed to find some brilliant examples to help show you how pain can exist with or without damage. One such example is that of people around the world who don’t even feel pain!

    This is known as “congenital analgesia” and for those with this rare medical condition, their life expectancy is drastically reduced. After all, how would you know if your appendix was about to burst if you couldn’t feel pain? Or how would you know if you were walking on a fractured leg? Well, the truth is you wouldn’t.

    There’s a reason we experience pain and it’s not about damage, it’s about protection. In fact, we don’t even need a body to feel pain. There’s no shortage of people with pain in legs and arms that were amputated decades ago, suffering what is commonly referred to as phantom pain syndrome.

    Pain is 100% real, but it is also a subjective experience, which means we have no real way of knowing if everyone feels the pain the same way. As I mentioned before, If pain is made in the brain, then we don’t even need a body to feel it. A great example regarding phantom limb pain is the example is of  Mark Goddard back in the late ’90s, who fell off his motorbike and began to suffer intense pain in his hand as a result. Mark had multiple x-rays, MRI’s and even nerve conduction tests, and every time, they came back fine. After a while, Mark asked the NHS to amputate his hand, as he felt that he would rather not have the hand if it meant no more pain. After a long drawn out argument with the NHS about the ethics (because he was asking them to amputate a hand with perfectly healthy tissue), they said no.

    After being told no by the NHS, Mark had reached the end of his tether and decided that he would take matters into his own hands. Over the next two weeks, he built a guillotine in his shed. Mark waited until his wife went out of the house and he chopped his own hand off! He threw his hand into a bucket and set it on fire so that it could never be reattached, and after a whole year of not having his hand, Mark still had hand pain….despite not having a hand. If you want to read about marks story, you can read his press article here.

    I myself have seen this in the studio over the years, as clients report that joints hurt, despite the fact they have had a full knee replacement years ago! They were feeling pain in a piece of metal, which again, is a great way to show you that you experience pain in the brain and not the tissue. Pain is complex, it needs emotion, beliefs, context, and so much more to exist.

    Mark is the perfect example that pain isn’t about damage, as he had healthy tissue, but also had pain, then he had no tissue after he removed his hand, but he still had pain. Pain is for protection, it’s not just about damage. In the studio, we see clients every day who have spent decades afraid to even move, in fear they with hurt themselves.

    So, if somebody can have no damage and still have pain, can somebody have damage and experience no pain? In short, absolutely!

    Take for example Federico who was involved in a shark attack. Fed was out surfing one day when he was attacked and sustained a bite to the arm. After being rescued and pulled to shore, he realised he had also been bitten on the leg and he had never even felt it. You can read about Fed here.

    Then there is a great story about Julia, a Russian woman who was walking home one day from work and encountered a mugger. She was unknowingly stabbed in the neck, but took over an hour to realise that the knife was still in there! You can read her story here.

    I hope this short article has helped you dispel some of the myths around pain as a result of damage and has encouraged you to do more, and let your brain slowly begin to start trusting your body again.

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Managing Fibromyalgia

    Managing Fibromyalgia

    Q:

    In addition to medication, how can I manage my fibromyalgia?

    A:

    Medications may be necessary to manage your fibromyalgia, but there also are a number of day-to-day strategies for coping with the disease. Your psychological outlook is important, with studies finding benefits from cognitive therapy for women with fibromyalgia. Specifically, studies find, negative thinking increases stress and affects your perception of pain, so learning to minimize and control these thoughts can improve your symptoms.

    The key is not so much to “think positively,” but to “think non-negatively.” So when negative thoughts occur, ask yourself: “Does this thought benefit me in any way—does it improve the way I feel, advance my goals or improve a relationship?” There are many strategies for dealing with negative thoughts, and you may want to see a psychiatrist experienced in treating fibromyalgia patients to help you learn some techniques. A fibromyalgia support group also can help provide insight, advice and support.

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    If you’re having trouble sleeping, try avoiding naps and caffeine and go to bed at a consistent time.

    When pain is bothering you, adjust your activities accordingly. There are also a variety of alternative and lifestyle approaches that may help you deal with symptoms of pain. However, be aware that there is limited scientific evidence to support these approaches at this time.

    • Massage therapy can be very effective short-term. For the best results, look for a licensed massage therapist who has worked with fibromyalgia patients before.
    • Moist heat supplied by warm towels, hot packs, a hot bath or a shower can be used at home for 15 to 20 minutes three times a day to relieve symptoms.
    • Cold supplied by a bag of ice or frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel helps reduce pain when used for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Don’t do this, however, if you have Raynaud’s phenomenon.
    • Hydrotherapy (water therapy) can reduce pain during exercise and help you improve endurance and conditioning. Exercising in a large pool may be easier because water has a buoying effect. Some people also find relief from the heat and movement provided by a whirlpool.
    • Relaxation techniques help reduce pain and anxiety. These include meditation and guided imagery. Check with local recreation centers and hospitals for courses.
    • Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment that is often used for pain relief. A qualified acupuncturist places very thin needles in certain parts of your body. Some researchers believe that the needles may stimulate deep sensory nerves that tell the brain to release natural painkillers (endorphins). However, the well-controlled studies examining acupuncture as a treatment for fibromyalgia symptoms did not find acupuncture to be more effective than a placebo treatment for fibromyalgia, so it is difficult to know for sure if the practice produces any specific benefits. Acupressure is similar to acupuncture, but pressure is applied to the sites instead of needles.
    • Biofeedback is a form of therapy used to train your mind to understand and, to a degree, control your own physiological responses. An electronic device provides information about a body function (such as heart rate) so you learn to consciously control that function. For instance, it can help you learn to relax your muscles.

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Health Tip: Symptoms That May Indicate Fibromyalgia

    Fibromyalgia is characterized by body aches and pains, and “tender points” that are painful to the touch.

    The chronicillness.co website mentions these other typical symptoms of fibromyalgia:

    • Having difficulty sleeping.
    • Feeling stiff in the morning.
    • Having frequent headaches.
    • Feeling sensitive to temperature, bright lights or loud sounds.
    • Having pain during menstruation.
    • Having a tingling sensation or numbness in the feet and hands.
    • Having trouble with memory and cognitive thinking.

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    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • 9 Questions to Ask About Postsurgical Pain Management

    One of the best ways to ease anxiety about a major event, like surgery, is to plan ahead. Conversations about postsurgical pain management need to happen before your procedure, so you can focus on your recovery after surgery is complete.

    Here are 9 questions you should ask your attending health care professional before having surgery.

    What should I do before my surgery?

    Make sure you understand your health care provider’s instructions about eating and drinking. Anesthesia administered during surgery may require you to have an empty stomach.

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    What can I expect on the day of my surgery?

    Preemptive or preventive pain relievers may be given, in addition to general anesthesia or other sedatives before surgery. Local anesthetics may be used during surgery to numb the area and help control pain. These may be placed directly into the surgical site, into or around a nerve (“nerve block“) or close to the spinal cord (“epidural”). Ask your health care provider to walk you through the pain management plan so there are no surprises.

    How much discomfort is usually associated with this procedure?

    This will depend on the type of procedure you’re having and the pain medications used before, during and after your surgery. Be sure and talk with your health care provider so you will know what to expect and be familiar with all of your options for pain management.

    How will my pain be managed after surgery?

    Depending on the type of procedure you’re having, a combination of medications may be used before, during and after surgery to block the various sources and pathways of pain. Essentially, these drugs may work in different areas or in different ways to better address your specific needs. Ask your health care provider about the risks and benefits of each medication being used along the way.

    How will we measure my pain?

    One of the best signs of proper pain management is being able to start moving and resume normal activities. You may also be periodically asked to measure your pain on a scale from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the worst pain and anything above 7 being severe). If you’re taking pain medication, it’s important to stay ahead of your pain and not let your pain levels get out of control.

    What do you need to know about me to individualize my treatment plan?

    Sharing information about yourself and your medical history will help your surgeon better understand your treatment needs and tailor a pain management plan that’s right for you. Let your health care provider know if you are:

    • Allergic to certain medications
    • Pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning for either
    • Taking other pain medications
    • Nervous about taking narcotic medications, or if you’ve had a previous negative experience
    • Sleep apneic
    • Asthmatic, or have COPD or other breathing problems
    • Suffering from a stomach ulcer or other gastrointestinal problems
    • Currently taking blood thinners or medications for other conditions
    • Or have ever been diagnosed with heart, liver, or kidney disease

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    How can I minimize exposure to narcotics? What options do I have?

    There are a variety of products your surgeon may give you before and during surgery to minimize your need for narcotics after surgery, including local anesthetics. Local anesthetics are numbing medications that can be used to numb the area where you had surgery from anywhere between a few hours to a few days. These may be placed directly into the surgical site, into or around a nerve (“nerve block”) or close to the spinal cord (epidural). If long-lasting local anesthetics are used during your procedure to numb the surgical site, you may require less narcotic pain medication afterwards.

    After surgery, there are several non-narcotic options that may be appropriate for you, including common over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers like acetaminophen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. These may be prescribed in higher doses than the OTC dosages. All can help control mild to moderate pain. Aspirin may also help prevent blood clots, while NSAIDs may help reduce swelling and inflammation. Once you’re in the recovery room, your pain medication may be given orally (by mouth) or through an IV (a tube feeding into a vein).

    Here is more information about postsurgical pain management options.

    What side effects can I expect?

    The kinds of side effects you may experience will depend on the type of medications used before, during and after your surgery. For example, narcotics may cause constipation, nausea and vomiting, while nerve blocks can cause muscle weakness. Ask your health care provider about the side effects that can be expected with all the pain medications you will receive.

    How will I manage pain at home?

    Before you leave the hospital, make sure you feel 100 percent comfortable about how your pain will be managed at home. In most cases, you will be given a prescription for pain medication before or after surgery. You may be able to fill the prescription at the hospital pharmacy or it may be sent in to your local pharmacy for pickup on your way home. Making sure you have your pain medication in hand when you reach home, will help you stay ahead of your pain and not let it get out of control. Before you take your medication, be sure to read the enclosed instructions about how often to take the medication and what side effects to look for. If you have any questions about your pain medication, ask your local pharmacist or your health care professional.

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Fibromyalgia Takes Different Tolls on Different People

    Fibromyalgia patients, who suffer pain in the muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons, are not all the same and can be classified into three distinct subgroups, a new study suggests.

    Researchers from the University of Michigan and other institutions are hopeful the discovery, published in October’s issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, will help to better tailor treatment for the chronic disorder.

    “Fibromyalgia patients are such a diverse group of patients, they cannot all be the same,” says study co-author Dr. Thorsten Giesecke, a University of Michigan research fellow.

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    For reasons unknown, people with fibromyalgia have increased sensitivity to pain that occurs in areas called their “tender points.” Common ones are the front of the knees, the elbows, the hip joints, the neck and spine. People may also experience sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and other symptoms.

    Fibromyalgia affects an estimated 3 million to 6 million Americans, primarily women of childbearing age, according to the American College of Rheumatology.

    Giesecke and his fellow researchers evaluated 97 fibromyalgia patients, including 85 women and 12 men. The patients underwent a two-day series of tests, answering questions about their coping strategies and personality traits — particularly their emotional well-being. They were also tested for sensitivity to pressure and pain.

    After the evaluations, the researchers found the patients fell into three subgroups that refute conventional wisdom.

    “It’s generally been thought that fibromyalgia patients who have higher distress have higher pain sensitivities,” Giesecke says.

    In other words, it was believed that those with fibromyalgia who were prone to emotional difficulties such as depression and anxiety were more likely to experience greater physical pain.

    But in his study, that didn’t bear out.

    The first subgroup, with 50 patients, included those who had moderate levels of anxiety and depression. They also felt they had moderate control over their pain, and they experienced moderate to low levels of pain.

    The second group, with 31 patients, had high levels of anxiety and depression. They felt they had the least control over their pain, and they suffered high levels of tenderness.

    But the third group, with 16 patients, reported the lowest levels of anxiety and depression and the highest control over their pain. Yet the testing showed they experienced the highest levels of physical pain.

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    Some patients have extreme pain but no psychological problems, Giesecke says, while others have moderate pain tenderness but fairly positive moods. Giesecke says a more positive frame of mind may help reduce the levels of pain that sufferers experience.

    “Just because they do well in cognitive and psychological tests doesn’t mean they don’t have increased pain sensitivity,” he says.

    The findings, he says, may persuade some skeptics that fibromyalgia is a real disease and not “all in one’s head.” The findings may also help tailor treatments, he says.

    For instance, antidepressants might not work well on group three, whose members were not depressed. They might benefit from exercise therapy instead, Giesecke says.

    About 4 percent of the U.S. population has the condition, Giesecke says.

    Bruce Naliboff, a professor of medical psychology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and on staff at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, calls the new research “a very good study.”

    “To better understand fibromyalgia and to have better treatment, it’s important to find out, is it a homogeneous group?” he says.

    Clearly, Giesecke found it is not, Naliboff adds. Some patients who have extreme tenderness don’t have many emotional issues, which was not expected.

    “It’s easy to say it’s all in their head,” says Naliboff, who works with patients who have other conditions with psychological components, such as inflammatory bowel disease. The study will help prove that’s not so, he adds.

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

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  • Anger, Sadness Increase Pain in Women With Fibromyalgia

    Negative emotions increase pain responses in women with and without fibromyalgia (FM), while combined treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy and a tailored exercise program can improve outcome in FM, according to two studies published in the October issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

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    Henriët van Middendorp, Ph.D., of Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and colleagues conducted an experimental study of women with and without FM to examine the effects of emotions on pain response. The researchers found that sadness predicted clinical pain responses, and anger predicted both clinical and electrically-stimulated pain responses. Both women with and without FM reported increased pain in response to both of these emotions; more intense emotion was associated with a greater pain response.

    Saskia van Koulil, of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands, and colleagues classified patients with FM into two groups based on their clinical pattern — pain-avoidance or pain-persistence — and randomized them to either cognitive behavioral therapy and exercise training or to a wait list for the treatments. They found that use of this combined program at an early stage of FM (soon after diagnosis) was likely to promote improved treatment outcomes for high-risk patients with either pain-avoidance or pain-persistence patterns.

    “Building on these findings, we can now report for the first time relatively large physical and psychological improvements in high-risk FM patients following a treatment specifically addressing pain-avoidance and pain-persistence patterns,” van Koulil and colleagues conclude. “However, as previous meta-analyses and recent studies of non-tailored interventions in chronic physical conditions have overall shown not more than moderate effects, the results of this study [suggest] that a tailored approach is promising for improving treatment effects.”

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store